The invention concerns a vaccine on the basis of DNA, by which cats can be protected against infections with Feline Leukosis virus.
Feline Leukosis virus (FeLV) is a cat-specific, world wide endemic virus that causes severe disease and is one of the main causes of mortality in feline populations. Currently, the infection rate is between 12% to 16% in cats both in Europe and the USA.
Some of the cats can surmount the infection; however a life long persistence of virus in the organism is also possible. Latently infected cats are then deemed to be a reservoir of pathogens.
An efficacious therapy of FeLV infections leading to eradication of the disease is currently not possible. The best success currently is to push back the disease for some time. Certain chemotherapeutic agents can be applied to cats; side effects however are highly problematic, as they are in human medicine. The treatment of interferons is experimental currently.
Virostatic drugs are not capable to inactivate and thus also do not lead to a success definable as healing.
An effective management of FeLV infections can only be effected preventively by vaccination.